Page 13 | NEIGHBOUR CROSSED THE BOUNDARY BEFORE EXCHANGE

MummyToBeAgain1 · 2025-03-26T09:29:39+00:00

Hi I need some advice please. We're buying a semi detached property and due to exchange and complete in a week or 2. Over the weekend we drove past the property to find a fence being built between our garden and the property on the right. I suspected they had come in to our garden at a glance so drove past again yesterday. The fence had fully been up and clearly it crossed in to our garden (to be). I've attached a quick drawing which shows what I mean. The red line is the fence the neighbour has put up. Just for some context this is a auction property as the owner has died and the children wanted a quick sale. This means that we have a deadline for completition which makes things more stressful. What do we do now? Tia

Parmeggiano · 12/04/2025 16:37

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Omg as if the OP’s current stress isn’t enough?! Ridiculous!

Radarro · 12/04/2025 16:30

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Ariela · 12/04/2025 16:01

WaryHiker · 12/04/2025 11:12

Absolutely. It beggars belief that anyone would want to live next to people who have done this and could accept starting off neighbourly relations amid such a poisonous atmosphere.

In your place, OP, I would have contacted the auction house the minute I found out what was happening, demanded my fee back on the grounds that the property we had bid on was not the property we were sold. Then I'd have started hunting for a place without completely batshit next door neighbours.

I can't help thinking you're seriously going to rue the day you ever exchanged on this property.

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Ah, but this is a dispute between the sellers (who now cannot sell until resolved) and the neighbours. Not really anything to do with the buyer 'at this stage' , as if not resolved they won't be buying/moving in.

So neighbours may be fine with the buyers or ignore them. Because neighbours were being CF and know it.

AhBiscuits · 12/04/2025 15:56

I can imaging them planning their move, waiting for the perfect moment to get a bit more garden. Absolutely pathetic.

Tontostitis · 12/04/2025 14:11

.

justasking111 · 12/04/2025 13:51

@MummyToBeAgain1

So have you backed out now?

Hufdl · 12/04/2025 13:20

This 100% is connected to a probate empty house sale.

It is not uncommon.
It is why people with cop on video clearly the property they bid on during the bidding process.

The video is dated and is a clear proof of it matching the particulars of the property.

CF's like this are the lowest of scum by virture of their clear intention to take advantage of the probate situation.

In the 3 cases that I know about personally, neighbours around the CF's were clearly informed of the hassle and upset they caused, gossip which caused them maximum embarrassment.

Even though some would describe them as shameless, CF's would actually rather their skullduggery wouldn't be exposed.

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 12/04/2025 12:47

BacktoBeginnersFran · 12/04/2025 12:29

And you really think it's coincidence that the neighbours waited until the house was empty, before sale went through to claim "their" land by stealth? 🙄 Bullshit!

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This was my immediate thought when I first read the OP, the neighbours took the first possible opportunity to change the boundary to their advantage, immediately the house was empty and before the new owners moved in, in the hope that nobody would notice and they would get away with it. If it was legit, they would have been asking via solicitors to change the title deeds, surely?

BacktoBeginnersFran · 12/04/2025 12:29

starfishmummy · 12/04/2025 12:20

I have read earlier. Google maps is hardly definitive and plans change over time if people have sold bits off.

And you really think it's coincidence that the neighbours waited until the house was empty, before sale went through to claim "their" land by stealth? 🙄 Bullshit!

starfishmummy · 12/04/2025 12:20

I have read earlier. Google maps is hardly definitive and plans change over time if people have sold bits off.

FlowerUser · 12/04/2025 12:17

starfishmummy · 12/04/2025 11:00

It's either that they CFs who are trying they luck or worse have no intention of putting it back to what it was OR they genuinely thought that was theirs (maybe an informal agreement with the home owner years ago).
Just a little suspicious that they decided to put the fence up when we were days away from potentially exchanging and completing.

Have you considered that maybe it is actually theirs and knowing the property is sold, they decided they had better re-instate the proper boundary line. Could have been your vendors family member that was the CF.

If you read earlier you'll see that the boundary is a direct line and the CF neighbours haven't moved the whole boundary but have taken a chunk to widen their access to the back. Google maps and the plans show.the boundary has been the straight line for some time. Probably since the property was built.

Original poster

MummyToBeAgain1 · 12/04/2025 11:47

starfishmummy · 12/04/2025 11:00

It's either that they CFs who are trying they luck or worse have no intention of putting it back to what it was OR they genuinely thought that was theirs (maybe an informal agreement with the home owner years ago).
Just a little suspicious that they decided to put the fence up when we were days away from potentially exchanging and completing.

Have you considered that maybe it is actually theirs and knowing the property is sold, they decided they had better re-instate the proper boundary line. Could have been your vendors family member that was the CF.

That sounds really stressful, I'm glad you're on the other side of it now!

With ours there's no chain either side and the property is vacant. We're in no rush from our side so can give them as long as it takes.

Also, from a good place people have mentioned if I want to live with neighbours like this. The thing is apart from this boundary line - there's not much else that would cause issues.

The CFs house isn't directly joint to ours - and they main space garden is further up - in such a way we won't even see them. It's hard to explain.

OP posts:

MurdoMunro · 12/04/2025 11:18

Abouttoblow · 12/04/2025 11:17

Have you read the thread? Even just the OP's posts? 🙄

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Drives me nuts does that. Good call out 👍🏻

Abouttoblow · 12/04/2025 11:17

Weefox · 12/04/2025 10:33

Just go to the solicitor ASAP - needs to be sorted now

Have you read the thread? Even just the OP's posts? 🙄

godmum56 · 12/04/2025 11:13

WaryHiker · 12/04/2025 11:12

Absolutely. It beggars belief that anyone would want to live next to people who have done this and could accept starting off neighbourly relations amid such a poisonous atmosphere.

In your place, OP, I would have contacted the auction house the minute I found out what was happening, demanded my fee back on the grounds that the property we had bid on was not the property we were sold. Then I'd have started hunting for a place without completely batshit next door neighbours.

I can't help thinking you're seriously going to rue the day you ever exchanged on this property.

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they haven't exchanged yet i think?

WaryHiker · 12/04/2025 11:12

redphonecase · 12/04/2025 11:07

I just can't see why in the world you'd want to live next door to these people. I'd be backing out on that basis.

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Absolutely. It beggars belief that anyone would want to live next to people who have done this and could accept starting off neighbourly relations amid such a poisonous atmosphere.

In your place, OP, I would have contacted the auction house the minute I found out what was happening, demanded my fee back on the grounds that the property we had bid on was not the property we were sold. Then I'd have started hunting for a place without completely batshit next door neighbours.

I can't help thinking you're seriously going to rue the day you ever exchanged on this property.

redphonecase · 12/04/2025 11:07

MummyToBeAgain1 · 27/03/2025 20:47

I've read so many stories under this post of people taking from the vulnerable! There's a pattern - they take from those who are either old or who have died.

I'm glad your friends neighbours situation was sorted before it was to late. Hoping these stupid neighbours sort it out as quickly. </3

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I just can't see why in the world you'd want to live next door to these people. I'd be backing out on that basis.

starfishmummy · 12/04/2025 11:00

It's either that they CFs who are trying they luck or worse have no intention of putting it back to what it was OR they genuinely thought that was theirs (maybe an informal agreement with the home owner years ago).
Just a little suspicious that they decided to put the fence up when we were days away from potentially exchanging and completing.

Have you considered that maybe it is actually theirs and knowing the property is sold, they decided they had better re-instate the proper boundary line. Could have been your vendors family member that was the CF.

Weefox · 12/04/2025 10:33

Just go to the solicitor ASAP - needs to be sorted now

piscofrisco · 12/04/2025 10:16

Me too! Even if all this gets resolved and in time I don’t think I’d ever be able to look at those neighbours without anger. Bastards. The neighbours at the end of our garden broke in whilst it was empty and savagely lopped a tree that was probably blocking their light to their new extension. They had no permissions for this and had had no discussions with the former owners. We have no concrete proof (our sideways neighbour saw them but didn’t record it assuming they had permission). The tree looks absolutely awful and will take years to grow back to anything we can shape nicely. It’s not a big deal but it is galling and it irks me every time I look at it.

Pasithean · 12/04/2025 10:11

5 years of battles and over 40k. Don’t do it swallow the 10k loss and run.

Stanley44132 · 12/04/2025 09:53

Ohioatdawn · 12/04/2025 07:56

Place marking for update!

Me too

AlwaysCoffee25 · 12/04/2025 09:13

Swiftie1878 · 12/04/2025 04:10

Trouble is, these are potentially your future neighbours…

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Yes my thoughts too

AlwaysCoffee25 · 12/04/2025 09:10

I feel sorry for both you and the vendors OP. The neighbours are the only ones who have caused this issue.

Mirabai · 12/04/2025 08:10

Good luck OP I hope the neighbours can be got under control.